Any lawyers: How about Sylvia and slander?

[Houngan]

It seems that stating that Randi is a fraud re: the million dollars, and a fraud in a very legal sense, since he advertises the prize publicly and to not have the money would be fraudulent, wouldn't Sylvia be committing actionable slander?

H.

[kookbreaker]

I think you have to establish some kind of harm in a monetary amount to have a case. That would be hard to prove.

Plus, it would give another sympathy rallying cry for woowoos.

[Darat]

Originally posted by kookbreaker
I think you have to establish some kind of harm in a monetary amount to have a case. That would be hard to prove.

Plus, it would give another sympathy rallying cry for woowoos.

We just have to get her to come to the UK and repeat them, our laws are much silly in this respect!

[reprise]

Originally posted by Darat


We just have to get her to come to the UK and repeat them, our laws are much silly in this respect!

Or she could come to Australia (aactually, she doesn't even have to come here, the statement just has to be published here) - although defamation cases are very expensive to fight here.

[Zep]

A better solution would NOT involve the courts - no-one "wins" court battles (someone ends up paying and someone doesn't).

Remember that Sylvia really doesn't care about being "psychic" at all. If it wasn't psychic readings it would be snake-oil. We skeptics and Randi can be as legally and morally correct and superior as we like, she only REALLY cares about the money. Be very clear. She goes on the radio and TV shows ONLY as a form of advertising for her phone-in scam, nothing else, because that is where the BIG money comes from (and she probably gets a small appearence-fee too, anyway).

So if she WAS to be stopped, anything that legally affects her income stream would be far more effective in stopping her peddling her lies.

[Rascal]

Meanwhile, I have to wonder if maybe Randi isn't trying to get Browne to take some action against him. If she had any dignity (yeah, I know...) it sure seems that she would be upset about being called a liar several dozen times on a very public web page. Any rational person (yeah, I know...) might even consider filing a lawsuit due to the obvious harm of having such things said.

Hey, this might be fun... let me give it a try:
SYLVIA BROWNE IS A LIAR!!!

[ tapping fingers... waiting to hear from lawyers...]

[reprise]

I was under the impression that publicly calling someone a liar wouldn't be actionable under US defamation laws.

[Reno]

Well, if it takes some kind of monetary loss or harm to be actionable, how about this:


Let's say, just for the sake of argument that I had recently come into some money, perhaps 17 Million pounds sterling, by winning a double rollover UK Lotto jackpot. I intended to donate half of that to the JREF, but now that Sylvia has stated that Randi is a liar and she appears to be telling me that he has been investigated by the police, I have decided to withhold £8.5M from the JREF and instead spend it on a 3-week cruise with Sylvia in Egypt so I can hear how in a previous life I was a bodyguard to Ra while he was in human form.

Is the loss of £8.5M enough to be actionable?

Reno

[Darat]

Originally posted by Reno
Well, if it takes some kind of monetary loss or harm to be actionable, how about this:


Let's say, just for the sake of argument that I had recently come into some money, perhaps 17 Million pounds sterling, by winning a double rollover UK Lotto jackpot. I intended to donate half of that to the JREF, but now that Sylvia has stated that Randi is a liar and she appears to be telling me that he has been investigated by the police, I have decided to withhold £8.5M from the JREF and instead spend it on a 3-week cruise with Sylvia in Egypt so I can hear how in a previous life I was a bodyguard to Ra while he was in human form.

Is the loss of £8.5M enough to be actionable?

Reno

Well while you sort it out why don't you send me the 8.5 million and I'll hold it it escrow for you?

[psy kick]

Isn't it true that Uri is really Sylvia's logn lost son?

[TheBoyPaj]

Could be. If I was her son I'd move to Israel.

[Captain Trips]

Originally posted by Reno
Well, if it takes some kind of monetary loss or harm to be actionable, how about this:


Let's say, just for the sake of argument that I had recently come into some money, perhaps 17 Million pounds sterling, by winning a double rollover UK Lotto jackpot. I intended to donate half of that to the JREF, but now that Sylvia has stated that Randi is a liar and she appears to be telling me that he has been investigated by the police, I have decided to withhold £8.5M from the JREF and instead spend it on a 3-week cruise with Sylvia in Egypt so I can hear how in a previous life I was a bodyguard to Ra while he was in human form.

Is the loss of £8.5M enough to be actionable?

Reno

I don't know, this seems more like a "not getting unexpected gift" than a "loss of current funds or earnings"

[Zep]

What's wrong with a bit of "hurt and damage to my reputation and standing in my community"?

Alternatively, why not look closely at the trade practices and advertising laws which are supposed to prevent the selling of snake-oil and such. Throw it back on her to meet the same standards all other businesses have to.

[Reno]

Well, Randi just doesn't have the time or inclination to 'get her' and I agree that he shouldn't have to scramble about under rocks in and around swamps looking for this harpie in order to s to drag her/it down. But surely someone here with more time on their hands could organize a way to bring her to task....hound her and her sycophants ruthlessly. Would take an obsessive/compulsive personality type, but I'm sure we have a few of those registered here :P)

Reno